Museums of Russia: Exhibition “Nicholas II and Tsarskoe Selo. Last Home of the Last Emperor” on display in Leningrad Region

The exposition “Nicholas II and Tsarskoe Selo. Last Home of the Last Emperor” has opened in the exhibition hall of the “Breakthrough of the Leningrad Siege” Museum-Reserve in Kirovsk (Leningrad Region). It spotlights Nicholas II and his last residence – the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, which since 18th c. and for two centuries had been the official residence of Russian monarchs. Royal family members were frequent visitors to Tsarskoe Selo palaces. Catherine II used to spend there the most part of the year, Emperor Alexander I and emperor-liberator Alexander II, who had a lifelong particular feeling towards Tsarskoe Selo, followed her example. In 1868 the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo became the birth place of the future Emperor Nicholas II. His life was closely associated with Tsarskoe Selo, which was to become the last estate of the royal family.

Since 1904 the Alexander Palace had been the permanent residence of Emperor Nicholas II, who had a deep affection for Tsarskoe Selo. It was here that the Russian Emperor spent the last thirteen years of his reign. On August 1, 1917 the royal family was sent into exile to Tobolsk.

The exhibition “Nicholas II and Tsarskoe Selo. Last Home of the Last Emperor” features photographs of the early 20th century on loan from the Tsarskoe Selo Museum-Reserve. Photographs show members of the royal family with Tsarskoe Selo palaces and parks in the background, the court life, military parades, private life of the imperial family, private rooms and grand palace interiors.